Stuffed Squid with Chocolate Sauce
Submitted by Roguemeister
Spanish-style squid stuffed with ground pork and pine nuts, served in a rich sauce of Ibarra chocolate, almonds, and white wine. Bold Catalan flavors in every bite.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
70 minChocolate and squid might sound like a dare, but in Catalan cooking this combination is centuries old and absolutely brilliant.
Whole squid bodies get packed with a savory filling of ground pork, minced tentacles, pine nuts, and breadcrumbs sauteed with onion, carrot, garlic, and parsley. Baked until just tender, they’re served under a sauce that will stop you in your tracks.
The sauce starts with fish stock and white wine reduced by half, then thickened with a mortar-pounded paste of roasted almonds, pine nuts, fried bread, and grated Ibarra chocolate. The result is earthy, nutty, and just barely sweet, with a depth that makes every forkful feel like a discovery.
Chef Tips
- Stuff the squid bodies loosely. They shrink as they cook, and overstuffing will split them open.
- Pound the almond-chocolate paste until completely smooth with no grainy texture. Patience with the mortar pays off here.
- Ibarra chocolate is sweetened and spiced with cinnamon and almonds. If you can’t find it, use dark chocolate with a pinch of cinnamon as a substitute.
Ingredients
Directions
Remove heads and tentacles from squid and set bodies aside.
Mince heads and tentacles, then mix well with the ground pork (may use a food processor).
Heat about ½ inch of olive oil in a cassola (like a cazuela, the straight-sided pottery vessel used for paella and other dishes in Spain) or large skillet and sauté the onion, carrot, garlic and parsley in it until the onions are wilted.
Add the pork mixture, crumbs and half the pine nuts, mixing together well and cooking until the meat is well done.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove mixture from pan and drain on paper towels or in a colander.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
When the pork mixture is cool, lightly stuff the reserved squid bodies with it (do not overstuff, or the squid will shrink and tear during cooking).
Bake the squid in a single layer, uncovered, in a lightly oiled baking dish for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, deglaze the cassola with the stock and wine, simmering until it is reduced by about half.
While the liquid reduces, put the almonds, remaining pine nuts, chocolate and fried bread in a mortar and pound with a pestle until finely ground, then moisten with a bit of the liquid to make a thick paste (it must be fine, without grainy texture).
Add this mixture to the reduced liquid, stir in well, return to the boil and season to taste.
Pour over the stuffed squid, or spoon onto serving plates and set the squid on top of the sauce.
Note: lbarra chocolate is sweetened and flavored with almonds and cinnamon and is available in many markets in the Bay Area.
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